Key messages
- Teeth are one of the strongest parts of your body.
- Healthy teeth let you eat, speak, and smile.
Types of teeth
There are four types of adult human teeth.
The incisors are the front four teeth located in both the top and bottom jaws. The two middle incisors are called the ‘central’ incisors. The teeth next to them are called the ‘lateral’ incisors.
There are four canine teeth in the mouth. One canine tooth is located in each corner of the mouth. They are next to the lateral incisors. Canine teeth are the sharpest teeth and are used for tearing food apart.
The premolar teeth are located between the canine and molar teeth. Most adults have eight premolar teeth. There is usually two present in each corner of the mouth. Premolar teeth are used to tear and crush food.
The large molar teeth are located at the back of the mouth. They are used to chew foods. Most adults will have twelve molars in total but may only have eight molar teeth present in their mouth. The third molar teeth, which are commonly called ‘wisdom teeth’, often do not fit in the mouth or need to be removed.
What about baby teeth?
Baby teeth only include incisors, canines, and molar teeth. Premolar teeth are only part of the adult teeth. The premolar teeth replace the baby molar teeth. Adult molar teeth grow behind, so no baby teeth need to fall out for the adult molar teeth to appear in the mouth.
The approximate ages that each adult tooth appears in the mouth. This is a guide only.
If you are concerned that your child's adult teeth are not yet present in their mouth when you think they should be, it is best to have their teeth checked by a dentist.
Part of the teeth
The crown is the part of the tooth that you can see above the gums, inside your mouth.
Tooth roots are located underneath your gums. They hold the teeth in the jaw bone.
- Incisor and canine teeth have one root.
- Premolars can have one or two roots.
- Upper molar teeth generally have three roots.
- Lower molar teeth have two roots.
Tooth enamel is the hard, white calcified tooth structure that makes up the outside layer of the tooth's crown. It is the hardest substance in the human body and protects the inside parts of the tooth. Tooth enamel cannot repair itself when damaged. There are no nerves in the tooth enamel and it cannot feel pain.
This is the inside layer of the tooth that is covered and protected by the hard enamel. Dentine is made of tiny tubes with nerves present inside. This gives the dentine feeling. It is yellowish in colour.
The hard tissue layer covering the surface of the tooth roots. This layer is not as strong as enamel.
The soft tissue in the centre of the tooth that contains nerves and blood vessels. It runs down the centre of the tooth roots connecting to the blood and nerve supply in the jaw bone.
Soft tissue fibres that surround tooth roots. The fibres connect the teeth to the jaw bone.
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Our experts continually monitor the oral health space. As research and recommendations change or we get reader feedback, we update the information in our articles.